Heater device, particularly for inner shoes of sports footwear

ABSTRACT

A heater device, usable in particular for inner shoes of sports footwear, comprising a conducting fabric of a known type, which is embedded in the inner shoe advantageously substantially at the forefoot region. The fabric is connected, at its opposite ends, to two or more conductors, which are associated with the inner shoe and are connected, at their opposite ends, to connections to an external source.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a heater device particularly for inner shoes of sports footwear.

[0002] Nowadays, the problem of foot tip chilling or freezing during the practice of winter sports, such as for example cross-country skiing and downhill skiing, snowboarding, winter trekking or ice climbing, is particularly felt.

[0003] In this regard there are heater devices of a known type that are associated, or associable inside the sports footwear being used.

[0004] In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,877 discloses a heater device, particularly for ski boots, which comprises an electric resistance heater arranged along the sole of the inner shoe of the ski boot.

[0005] The electric resistance heater is connected to one or more storage batteries arranged within the inner shoe, and a switch is provided for deactivating the heater device.

[0006] Heater devices are also known which use, as a temporary heat source, one or more bags or containers that contain a substance capable of generating an exothermic chemical reaction if exposed to air.

[0007] Accordingly, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,170 discloses an insole that is associable with a shoe or a boot.

[0008] Such insole has, preferably in the toe region, a cavity that is suitable to contain a pouch or bag made of a material that allows the passage of air and is filled beforehand with an appropriate mixture made for example of iron powder, water, salt and activated charcoal.

[0009] When the user begins sports practice, he removes the bag from a hermetic package, such as a cellophane bag, and places it in the cavity inside the insole.

[0010] The mixture is provided so as to generate, upon contact with the oxygen contained in the air, an exothermic reaction that heats the tip of the foot.

[0011] The duration of the reaction is regulated by the flow of air within the cavity, and said air flow is in turn regulated by the number of holes provided in a removable cover that is suitable to close said cavity, allowing to rest the foot thereon.

[0012] The main drawback of these known kinds of heater device is that they are very complicated and expensive, requiring the design and subsequent production of inner shoes or insoles provided with cavities suitable to accommodate the respective components.

[0013] Moreover, one drawback that is found in electrical heater devices is that the resistance heater, which is produced with low thicknesses and is flexible, is subjected inside the inner shoe to bending and stresses which can break it over time.

[0014] Another drawback is that the foot is not heated effectively in the regions where heating is most needed, but only at the tip of the foot or at the most, at the entire sole of the foot.

[0015] Another drawback is that the electrical resistance heaters or the pouches containing chemical mixtures have to be placed within a rigid protection and/or containment structure, such as for example a sole that is rigid or only partially deformable; lack of said rigid structure might cause, over time, malfunction or breakage of the known type of device used.

[0016] Another important drawback of known types of device based on chemical reaction consists in that it is necessary to use at least one new bag of mixture at each session, often requiring the use of several bags in a single day.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The aim of the present invention is to solve the above mentioned problems, eliminating the drawbacks of the cited prior art, by providing a device that allows to heat the regions of the user's foot that are most exposed to hypothermia during sports activity.

[0018] Within this aim, an important object is to provide a device that allows prolonged use, over time, of the heater device without having to renew the heat source.

[0019] Another object is to provide a device that does not have electrical components, such as resistance heaters, that are easily subject to breakage during use over time.

[0020] Another important object is to provide a device that has low manufacturing costs.

[0021] Another object is to allow, during design, simple and quick changes to the shape of the heater device, aimed at obtaining different constructive solutions in which the regions to be heated are modified, thus adapting the invention to the requirements of each user.

[0022] Another object is to provide a device that can also be applied at nonrigid regions or parts of the inner shoe.

[0023] Another object is to provide a device that is structurally simple and has low manufacturing costs.

[0024] This aim and these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a heater device, particularly for inner shoes of sports footwear, characterized in that it comprises a conducting fabric of a known type, which is embedded in said inner shoe advantageously at the forefoot and is connected, at opposite ends, to two or more conductors, which are associated with said inner shoe and connected, at their opposite ends, to connection means for connection to an external source.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of a particular embodiment thereof, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0026]FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of the invention applied to an inner shoe in two different positions;

[0027] FIGS. 3 to 5 are perspective views of three different embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a heater device that is particularly suitable to be used in an inner shoe 2 of an items of sports footwear, not shown, such as for example a ski boot, a snowboard boot, or a trekking boot.

[0029] The device 1 comprises a piece of a conducting fabric of a known type, designated by the reference numeral 3, which has the feature of warming when electric current flows through it; it is possible to use, for example, the known type of fabric disclosed in PCT patent application WO 00/67528.

[0030] The fabric 3 is embedded in the inner shoe 2, which is soft, and therefore is sewn thereto, advantageously on its inner surface, or can be part of the inner shoe 2 in another manner.

[0031] In the embodiment shown in the figures, the fabric 3 is arranged at the forefoot region 4, either above it (FIG. 1) or below it (FIG. 2).

[0032] Tests carried out have shown that arrangement of the device according to the invention above the forefoot, which is not possible with the above described known kinds of device, is particularly effective and suitable for uniform heating, particularly of the tips of the toes.

[0033] The fabric 3 is associated, at opposite ends designated by the reference numerals 5 a and 5 b, with two or more conductors 6 a and 6 b, which are in turn associated with the inner shoe 2.

[0034] FIGS. 3 to 5 illustrate, merely by way of example, three different types of connection between two ends 5 a and 5 b of the fabric 3 and the conductors 6 a and 6 b, so that heating occurs respectively along a longitudinal directrix, along a transverse directrix, or along a plurality of mutually parallel directrices.

[0035] In the latter case, two elements 7 a and 7 b for connecting the conductors 6 a and 6 b at the opposite ends 5 a and 5 b are used which have an elongated shape so as to affect or extend over part or all of the length of the ends 5 a and 5 b.

[0036] The connection elements 7 a and 7 b are made of a material with high electrical conductivity, since each one has to constitute a single equipotential region (i.e., a region that has approximately the same electrical potential in every point).

[0037] The conductors 6 a and 6 b are connected, at their opposite ends, to means for connection to an external source of a known type, not shown in the figures, such as for example an electric storage battery.

[0038] Said storage battery can be accommodated within a suitable seat provided inside or outside the sports shoe, so that it can be recharged or replaced once its charge is depleted.

[0039] It is also possible to provide appropriate control and sensing means, CSM, for sensing and controlling the temperature on the fabric 3; said means enable or disable the delivery of power, keeping the foot at a preset optimum temperature.

[0040] Operation is therefore as follows: with reference to FIG. 1, before sports activity the user puts on the sports shoe, which comprises the inner shoe 2.

[0041] After checking the charge of the power supply batteries, for example by means of a known kind of luminous or other charge indicator, the user can practice the intended sport in maximum comfort, since the heating of the fabric between the opposite ends 5 a and 5 b allows to keep the foot warm.

[0042] Once the optimum temperature has been reached, the temperature sensing and control means temporarily interrupt the delivery of current, avoiding excessive temperatures and at the same time ensuring the maximum duration of the electric battery.

[0043] It has thus been observed that the invention has achieved the intended aim and objects, a heater device for inner shoes having been provided that allows to avoid chilling or freezing of the foot during winter sports.

[0044] The invention further allows to heat any region of the inner shoe, since it can be embedded in any area thereof; in this manner it can be applied, therefore, also at soft regions or parts of the inner shoe, or in regions having a considerable or complex curved shape.

[0045] The heater device has both low manufacturing costs for the manufacturer and low operating costs for the user.

[0046] The design of new embodiments, aimed at meeting the specific requirements of users, is very simple and rapid and allows to respond effectively to market demands.

[0047] The invention is of course susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.

[0048] The materials used, as well as the dimensions that constitute the individual components of the invention, may of course be more pertinent according to specific requirements.

[0049] The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. TV2001A000069 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference. 

1. A heater device, particularly for inner shoes of sports footwear, characterized in that it comprises a conducting fabric (3) of a known type, which is embedded in said inner shoe (2) advantageously at the forefoot region (4) and is connected, at opposite ends (5 a,5 b), to two or more conductors (6 a,6 b), which are associated with said inner shoe (2) and connected, at their opposite ends, to connection means for connection to an external source.
 2. The heater device according to claim 1, characterized in that said known type of conducting fabric (3) is adapted to warm if crossed by an electric current, and comprises means (CSM) for sensing and controlling the temperature on said fabric (3) which are adapted to control the delivery of power, so as to allow to maintain a preset temperature automatically.
 3. The heater device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said fabric (3) is sewn to said inner shoe (2), which is soft, advantageously at one or more regions of the inner surface of said inner shoe (2).
 4. The heater device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said fabric (3) is an integral part of said soft inner shoe (2).
 5. The heater device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said fabric (3) is arranged at the forefoot region (4) and above it, so as to partially wrap around the tip of the toes and optionally the metatarsus of the foot.
 6. The heater device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has two of said conductors (6 a,6 b), which are appropriately connected to two opposite ends (5 a,5 b) of said fabric (3) so that said fabric (3) is heated along a directrix that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said inner shoe (2).
 7. The heater device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has two of said conductors (6 a,6 b), which are appropriately connected to two opposite ends (5 a,5 b) of said fabric (3) so that said fabric is heated along a directrix that is substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of said inner shoe (2).
 8. The heater device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has two of said conductors (6 a,6 b), which are appropriately connected to two opposite ends of said fabric (3) so that said fabric (3) is heated along a plurality of mutually parallel directrices.
 9. The heater device according to claims 1 and 8, characterized in that it has two connection elements (7 a,7 b) for connecting said conductors (6 a,6 b) to two opposite ends (5 a,5 b) of said fabric (3) which have an elongated shape so as to affect part, or all, of the length of the piece of fabric (3) at said opposite ends (5 a,5 b).
 10. The heater device according to claims 1 and 9, characterized in that said connection elements (7 a,7 b) are made of a material having high electrical conductivity, so that each said element (7 a,7 b) constitutes a single, equipotential region, having substantially the same electrical potential. 